West Baltimore shooting injures mother, kills two sons

Police responded to a double and triple shooting Tuesday night that killed two men

November 14, 2012|By Justin George, The Baltimore Sun

Some say no trouble ever happens along the quiet northern border of the Evergreen Lawn neighborhood in West Baltimore. Other residents say the most they've seen are teenagers fighting.

But on Tuesday night, residents in the 2500 block of West Lafayette Ave. awoke to police tape and flashing lights after a home invasion left two sons dead and their mother injured.

"Never seen anything like this in my life," said Deborah Brown, 55, who lives across the street. "Never had any problems. That's why it's so surprising."

Police have no suspects but said the victims include brothers Allen Horton, 23, and Darian Horton, 19, as well as their 48-year-old mother, who was injured. Police Detective Vernon Davis declined to identify her, citing protective reasons and because the case remains under investigation.

The family had recently moved into the two-story brick rowhouse that's just one house up from the Empowerment Academy charter school. One of the men worked at Walmart, neighbors said.

Police said both men were shot in the upper torso and their mother was shot in the face and hand, police spokesman Davis said. All three were taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where one man was pronounced dead at 10:11 p.m. and the other at 5:20 a.m. Police described their mother's condition as stable.

Neighbors say the woman has a third, school-age son who wasn't home.

The shootings happened before 9:28 p.m., when Western district police officers responded to an emergency call.

Neighbors had heard banging noises. Brown said she looked out her bedroom window across the street and saw the woman bolt out of her home screaming before running next door. Police and paramedics soon swarmed the street.

"Next thing they brought out one son," Brown said. "I knew he was dead. Then I saw the other son, and they were pumping on him."

Residents who interacted with the victims called the family amicable and quiet. They said they seemed to fit in the neighborhood, which takes pride in their lawns and the appearance of their homes, said Evergreen Protective Association president John Bullock.